Voulgézac

Voulgézac is a West commune with 264 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2011 ) in the department of Charente in the Poitou -Charentes.

Location

Voulgézac is located about 24 km ( driving distance ) south-west of Angoulême in the cultural landscape of the Angoumois at an altitude of about 120 meters above sea level. inst.

Demographics

Until the late 19th century the population of the community fluctuated between 450 and 600; due to the phylloxera crisis in the wine and the mechanization of agriculture, the population then dropped continuously from down to the lows of the past decades.

Economy

The residents of the community lived for centuries of agriculture; the bottoms of the community belong to the Fins Bois Cognac and the wine region so there are several vineyards in the area of the village. The tourism in the form of apartment rentals also contributes since the 1960s in the revenue of the municipality.

History

Palaeolithic finds on the territory of the municipality have an age of about 25,000 years. In the ancient world was the place of the Chemin BOISNE, a communication path between Saintes ( Mediolanum Santonum ) and Périgueux ( Vasunna ). The existence of a Romanesque church is a sufficient indication of an occupation of the site during the Middle Ages.

Attractions

• The in prehistoric times visited by people rock overhangs ( abris ) of Vachons (45 ° 31 ' 56 "N, 0 ° 9' 28" O45.5322222222220.15777777777778 ) are located on private property. They have been classified as a monument historique in 1927.

• The single-nave parish church ( Église Notre -Dame) is attributed to the 12th century. Due to the almost castellated -looking crossing tower and by the lack of windows in the exterior walls, which are reinforced with mighty buttresses, the church in its infancy has the character of a fortified church. The over-sized vestibule is divided by pilasters with half columns templates in seven fields, three of which have a window; the upper end forms a broad arch frieze and a running beneath the eaves console frieze. The portal zone of the west facade shows the frequently encountered in the Charente triumphal arch scheme; otherwise the facade is completely unadorned and is shared only by two horizontal cornices into three levels. The three-bay aisled nave received but only in the 13th century ribbed vault; Cupola and Apsiskalotte are original. The church is recognized as a monument historique since 1903.

Interior of the church

• Each guestroom furnishings of the church include a two-meter high cross with a crucifix from the 16th century, a canvas of the, Holy Family ', together with Saint Elizabeth from the 17th century and a bronze bell cast in 1572. The bell bears in capital letters the Latin inscription " ORA PRO NOBIS SA MARIA. LAN MVCLXXII. JE SUIS FAICTE POUR LA PAROISSE DE VOUGEZAT ".
• The mainly stocked with roses garden on the grounds of the former watermill Moulin de Nanteuillet (45 ° 31 ' 47 " N, 0 ° 8' 26" O45.5297222222220.14055555555556 ) is also recognized as a monument historique since 2010.